Schlagwort-Archive: George Harrison

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On the 24th January 1962, manager Brian Epstein signed a contract with The Beatles. The management deal was time-limited for five years and gave Epstein 10 – 15 % of their income. Interestingly, Epstein didn’t sign this first contract: „Well, if they ever want to tear it up, they can hold me but I can’t hold them“. After that, Brian Epstein formed his own management company „NEMS Enterprises“. And on the 1st October 1962, the deal was renewed (including a three years publishing contract signed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney) and gave the manager 15 unitl 25 % of revenues, depending on Epstein’s help to increase the band’s earnings.

Four days later, the first single by The Beatles was released: „Love Me Do„, backed by „P.S. I Love You„, reached No. 17 on the UK chart and marked the beginning of an outstanding career of one of the most successful pop bands in history.

On the 8th December 1980 (Monday), John Lennon was murdered. Mark Chapman shot the musician four times outside the Dakota building in New York City.

John Lennon and Mark Chapman (8th December 1980)

Before Lennon and Ono were going go the Record Plant Studio, Chapman asked John for an autograph and the musician signed the cover of „Double Fantasy„. Then the ex-Beatle headed to the taxi.

John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono returned appr. at 10.50 pm to their aparrtment at the Dakota building where Chapman already waited. Then the tragedy happened: Chapman shot Lennon four times in the back. The British musician was taken to the emergency room of nearby Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 11.07 pm. The massive loss of blood caused the tragic death of the former Beatles member. John Lennon died at the age of 40 years.

Yoko Ono issued a statement the next day:
„There is no funeral for John“, ending it with the words, „John loved and prayed for the human race. Please pray the same for him.“

When Bill joined The Rolling Stones in 1962, the band was also impressed by his instrument and amplifiers. Wyman was married, employed and the oldest member of the Stones at their beginning. Drummer Charlie Watts followed in January 1963 and so the classic line up was complete with Mick Jagger (Vocals, Harmonica), Keith Richards (Guitar), Brian Jones (Guitar) and Ian Stewart (Keyboards). With the release (7th June 1963) of the first single „Come On“ (Chuck Berry cover) the legendary history of The Rolling Stones has been started.

Keith Richards remembers:
„Brian wanted to be a pop star the minute he saw the Beatles. He got left behind in the crush and someone asked him for his autograph. Success went to Brian’s head immediately. And the more successful we became, the more he thought it interfered with his compatibility with the band, the more he thought he was involved in a competition with me and Mick.“

Mick Jagger continues:
„Keith liked the Beatles because he was quite interested in their chord sequences. He also liked their harmonies, which were always a slight problem to the Rolling Stones. Keith always tried to get the harmonies off the ground but they always seemed messy. What we never really got together were Keith and Brian singing backup vocals. It didn’t work, because Keith was a better singer and had to keep going, oooh, ooh ooh (laughs). Brian liked all those oohs, which Keith had to put up with. Keith was always capable of much stronger vocals than ooh ooh ooh.“

On the 20th March 1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono in Gibraltar. The ceremony took place at the British Consulate Office and the just hitched couple spent their honeymoon in The Netherlands at the Amsterdam Hilton, where John and Yoko campaigned for an international „Bed-In“ for peace.